About BDP
About BDP
Our History
Our Values
Our Services
Our Team
Our History
Bristol Drugs Project is an independent charity that has been supporting the people of Bristol around their drug and alcohol use for the past 38 years.
BDP has a proud history of supporting some of our communities’ most vulnerable members and pushing for progressive interventions. BDP opened one of the first needle exchanges in the UK as part of a trial aimed at reducing the spread of HIV in the UK. BDP was also among the first services to roll out a ‘shared care’ model for supporting people who use drugs in Bristol.
To this day we strive to support all members of our city in an open and inclusive service and are passionate about challenging the stigma faced by people who use drugs and alcohol wherever we see it.
Our Values
BDP is built around the shared values of the organisation, our staff and volunteers:
Building Trust
Developing trusting relationships through consistency and honesty.
Listening and learning
Using evidence to best meet the needs of the people who use our services.
Pioneering and responsive
Championing new ideas and progressive approaches.
Appreciating difference
Committing to ensure our services are accessible to every member of our community equally.
Challenging Stigma
Challenging stigma wherever we find it.
Our Services
We run a broad range of services aimed at being available and accessible for anyone who needs them. We can support you to make the changes you want to make when you are ready to.
Our services include:
- Expert one-to-one advice and support to keep your safe if you choose to use alcohol and other drugs
- A range of services for people who inject, including free sterile injecting equipment and life-saving naloxone
- On-site nursing service
- Support into a range of other treatment options, including medical detox/rehab, therapeutic group work and other treatment services through the ROADS partnership
- Support for young people & children affected by substance use
- Harm reduction outreach services around the city including hostels, clubs & festivals and specific support for students.
- Specialist support works for minority communities including women, LGBTQ+, mental health & learning difficulties and minority ethnic and religious groups.
Our Team
Anna Smith – CEO
Bringing 30 years of experience within the voluntary sector, Anna started her career within refugee and youth services in London before progressing to leadership roles within women’s organisations addressing domestic abuse, criminal justice involvement, and sex work in both London and the South West. Passionate about social justice, learning from communities, and building services which put the service user at their heart, Anna has consistently worked with communities facing multiple disadvantages. Having worked alongside BDP in other roles, including for organisations that worked with similar populations, she has now taken on her current role as our CEO.
Lydia Plant
Director of Operations
Lydia has worked in the drug and alcohol sector for 15 years. Starting her professional life working in a mother and baby rehab before working her way up through team leader and service manager roles before eventually becoming Director of Operations with us. Lydia is a passionate harm reductionist committed to building non-judgmental and non-coercive services that prioritise quality of life and well-being as successful outcomes.
Ben Judd
Director of Business Development
Having trained as a counsellor, Ben started his career within drug and alcohol services as a group work facilitator at HMP Erlestoke and has since worked across a broad range of roles throughout the treatment services field. Ben’s experience across the system gives him a keen eye to grow and develop BDP’s services.
